Caterpillar said its next generation 400-metric-ton (mt)-class 6040 hydraulic mining shovel was designed for miners with productivity enhancing features, durability upgrades and system improvements that increase efficiency.
The new design integrates more standard technologies, such as Cat Payload, which measures every bucket load to help customers consistently achieve target truck payloads without overloading or underloading, boosting load-haul cycle efficiency.
“Miners are looking for ways to move more material without increasing fuel consumption or downtime,” said Nils Feddern, senior product consultant, hydraulic mining shovels for Caterpillar.
“With the new 6040 design, we focused on delivering high breakout forces and fast swing cycles while at the same time increasing fuel efficiency through hydraulic optimization. Similar to the next generation 6060, the new 6040 integrates proven Cat electronics infrastructure to help enhance performance and reliability, while a common design helps streamline maintenance and reduce downtime.”
To reduce fuel consumption and extend component life, the 6040’s Hydraulic Optimization system features variable, on-demand hydraulic oil flow to reduce excess heat, conserve energy and prolong component life. Conventional systems operate at the maximum required cylinder flow and pressure, regardless of demand from individual circuits. Conversely, the 6040’s optimized hydraulic system dynamically assigns individual pumps or groups of pumps to deliver the exact flow and pressure that each hydraulic function requires. Cat said this makes the new 6040 up to 15% more efficient than shovels without it.
For greater performance and reliability without sacrificing fuel efficiency, the 6040 is powered by twin new Cat C32B engines with 1,550 kW (2,079 hp) output, enabling shovel operation or moving the shovel off the face under the power of one engine. When equipped with the optional oil change interval extension attachment, maintenance downtime is reduced through engine oil exchange intervals increasing from 500 to 1,000 hours.
The new 6040 features high breakout forces – 1,201 kN (269,996 lbf) in face shovel configuration and 1,123 kN (252,460 lbf) with backhoe – to prevent bucket stall when encountering tough materials, improving productivity. Its closed-loop swing system delivers fast cycle times and improves energy efficiency. “One of the first things our field-follow machine operators comment on is the shovel’s power and swing speed,” Feddern said.
Standard Operator Assist – Enhanced Motion Control incorporates angle sensors on the linkage to calculate boom and stick positioning, preventing hard stops and metal-to-metal contacts. By reducing pressure spikes and shock feedback, the system improves operator performance, reduces fatigue and increases component life.
The shovel delivers efficient pass-match loading for a range of Cat mining trucks. It loads the 147-mt (162-ton) Cat 785 in four passes and offers 8-pass loading capabilities of the 327-mt (360-ton) Cat 796 AC.
To support safer, more comfortable operation and faster operator training, the new state-of-the-art cab includes a floor window to provide clear views of the tracks and 40% overall greater visibility of digging and loading areas. Offering low, 68 dBA interior operating sound levels, the new cab design features a new air conditioning system, ergonomic joystick controls and left-side-mounted monitoring and diagnostic tower complete with large, 254-mm (10-in) touchscreen, live sensor monitoring and visual and acoustic fault warnings.
Standard Vision 360 integrates four camera views on the in-cab touchscreen display to give the operator a 360° surround view of the shovel, reducing blind spots while repositioning and increasing safe operation. A new 45° hydraulically operated access stairway provides safe ingress and egress to the cab.
Source: www.coalage.com
